In the 12-year period of 2005 through 2016, canines killed 392 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 65% (254) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. | More »

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Grandma Wisely Saves Self
Amador County, CA - Back in July, Elisa Teel was almost finished pruning her herbs when she saw the two pit bulls. They had squeezed through a small gap at the bottom of a chain link fence separating her yard from her neighbor's. Moments later, Teel found herself faced with two impossible options: race inside and shut the door or remain outside and suffer the violent attack that her dog did.

Teel chose the latter option and by doing so remains alive with the use of each limb.

What transpired next left her dog Sammy with serious injuries, led to the euthanasia of three pit bulls and Teel demanding one more. She still has vivid memories of the attack. After shutting the door, she ran to her bedroom overlooking the backyard and banged repeatedly on the window. Teel watched the pit bulls drag Sammy from one end of the yard to another, tearing holes into his body.

Hearing Teel's screams, a neighbor across the street called the police. Other neighbors stepped in and broke up the fight, allowing Teel to reopen her door. Sammy sprinted through, blood flying from his wounds and unable to sit on his ripped up haunch. "I'm just going hysterical because I'm just looking at the holes in his body," said Teel. She then brought Sammy to the Jackson Creek Veterinary Clinic.

The genetic trait of "animal-aggression" in pit bulls maims and kills countless pets. The same trait often leads to severe injury and even death when a human intervenes. A senior citizen that chooses to intervene in such an attack risks substantial injuries. In this instance, Teel managed to get three of the offending dogs put down. She still wants another dog destroyed that she says was also involved in the attack.

In other news:

Pit Bull Leaps Fence, Attacks 75-Year Old Woman
Bethlehem, PA - A day after Teel's news article came out, a 75-year-old woman was injured after her neighbor's pit bull jumped over a fence and bit her numerous times. According to Bethlehem police Lt. Joseph Kimock, Millie Valenti was bitten on the arms and legs by a pit bull owned by her neighbor, Lisa Rodriguez.

Valenti told police she was sitting on a chair on her porch when the dog scaled a 3-foot-high fence and attacked her. She told police that a neighbor, wielding a broom, beat the dog until he stopped. According to police, Valenti suffered numerous bite marks on her legs and arms and a chunk of flesh is missing from her leg.

She was treated and released from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg. Rodriguez was cited for harboring a dangerous dog. Kimock said the dog was seized and quarantined. He said police were at Rodriguez's home in June for a report of the dog attempting to bite someone, but no charges were filed.

We hope the dog was not returned to Rodriguez and that Valenti can freely sit upon her porch without the fear of being attacked by her neighbor's dog.